Grey Cup rematch will open season in Ottawa
If the Calgary Stampeders have grown sick of answering questions about last year’s Grey Cup, it’s probably going to get worse before it gets better.
The trophy is going to be at TD Place Stadium on Friday before the Stamps open their season against the team that beat them for the championship, and Redblacks fans in Ottawa will no doubt take delight from watching highlights in the buildup.
There will be reminders everywhere, but Marquay McDaniel doesn’t expect the reminders to faze any of his teammates.
“I don’t think it can hurt any more than it already has, I think it will give us motivation,” McDaniel said. “You hear about (the loss), but it goes both ways. When we won in 2014 everyone asked Hamilton about it, so we get it.
“It’s going to keep coming up until it’s over, we play them in Week 1 and Week 2, so I’m pretty sure we’re going to hear about it again.”
To a man, the Stampeders are insisting that revenge isn’t on their minds. Last year happened, it hurt, but they’ve moved on and are a new team this year.
“It is what it is, they won it,” said receiver Kamar Jorden. “At the end of the day after all their celebration and rings and all that, they’ve still got to play a football game just like us so we’re going to go out and do what we do and hopefully get a win.”
DOWN WITH A COLD
DaVaris Daniels left practice early on Tuesday morning, but there’s no need for Stampeders fans to start panicking.
According to head coach Dave Dickenson, the reigning CFL Most Outstanding Rookie is not injured.
“He’s fighting a little bit of a cold, a chest cold,” Dickenson said after Tuesday morning’s practice. “Right now a lot of our guys are fighting allergies, we’re not quite sure why. A lot of pollen and stuff in the air, but we’re having a lot of guys with chest colds.
“Obviously not a problem, but tough for these guys to catch their breath right now.”
GETTING HIS CHANCE
With Deron Mayo not being available for the Stamps’ season opener this weekend in Ottawa, it looks like Maleki Harris is going to get a shot at linebacker.
Harris is entering his third season with the Stamps, and while he’s mostly been deployed on special teams it sounds as if his coaches are intrigued by what he has to offer on defence.
“Maleki’s gonna be the guy for a while, Mayo’s just a little bit not-there,” Dickenson said. “I think he has been waiting for the opportunity and we have, too, to see him as a full-time starter and he looks good out there.”
Harris is by no means a newcomer and played 15 games last season, finishing with 16 specialteams tackles and one defensive tackle. At 24 years old, there’s still lots of time for him to grow and develop, but the Stampeders seem optimistic that he’s ready to make an impact at linebacker in Mayo’s absence.
“We’ll see how consistent his play is,” Dickenson said. “He’s an every down guy now so he still has to make an impact on special teams but, as an every down guy you can really evaluate him a bit more.”
STILL IN
It sounds as if both Jamar Wall and Tommie Campbell are still expected to play for the Stampeders on Friday night, providing a nice boost to the defensive secondary.
Wall was back flying around on the field on Tuesday morning, and the hope is that both players will be close to 100 per cent in time for the regular season opener.
“It’s where it’s supposed to be,” Dickenson said. “I actually cooled Tommie a little bit, but I still think both can play and I really am hoping both can play. Jamar was a little bit ahead today, but I’m the one keeping them back a bit.”
I don’t think it can hurt any more than it already has, I think it will give us motivation.